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5 Sep 2018

Confusion as IG Of Police Denies Ordering Officers To Raid Edwin Clark's Home

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris has on Tuesday, denied sending junior officers to raid the residence of the former Federal Commissioner for Information and South South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark.

In a statement disclosed by the Ag DCP Jimoh O Moshood, Force Public Relations Officer, the Police IG ordered for the detention of four police personnel and informant involved in the raid.

We had reported that Police officers had on Tuesday afternoon, stormed the residence of Clark in search of arms which they accused him of keeping. The police officers were allegedly reported to have raided the residence by the order of IGP.

The IGP in the new statement said that it has dispatched a high-powered delegation of top police officers, led by a Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG, to meet with the elder statesman and Ijaw leader following earlier search of his Abuja home by the police.

The delegation, headed by DIP Operations, Habila Joshak, was saddled with the responsibility of tendering an unreserved apology to Chief Clark on behalf of the Nigeria Police Force.

Below are statements by the Nigerian Police Force to this effect;

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RE-POLICE RAID EDWIN CLARK RESIDENCE IN ABUJA

1. The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to a report on Vanguard online publication of 4th September, 2018 credited to one Henry Umoru claiming that the Police on Tuesday raided the Abuja residence of Federal Commissioner for Information and South South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark.

2. The Force wishes to categorically state that, the Inspector General of Police is not aware and did not order the raid of the residence of the Elder Statesman, Chief Edwin Clark as claimed by the writer of the story.

3. Consequently, the Inspector General of Police has directed the detention and investigation of the Four (4) Police personnel and the informant involved. The outcome of the investigation will definitely be made public.

4. Notwithstanding, the facts that on daily basis the Nigeria Police Force across the Country receives information from members of the public which were promptly used to prevent and detect crimes and Criminalities, the Force will not condone misconduct by any of its personnel that can run contrary to the rule of law.

RE-SEARCH OF THE HOUSE OF ELDER STATESMAN, CHIEF EDWIN CLARK BY THE POLICE TODAY, 4TH SEPTEMBER, 2018.

1. IGP sends high powered delegation of a DIG and other Senior Police Officers to apologize to the Elder statesman

Further to the earlier Press Statement from the Nigeria Police Force on the directives of the Inspector General of Police for immediate detention and Investigation of the Four(4) Police Personnel (including a Senior Police Officer) and an informant involved in the unauthorized, illegal and unprofessional misconduct in the Search of Chief Edwin Clark’s Residence in Asokoro, Abuja, today 4th September, 2018.

2. The IGP as stated in the Press Statement was not aware and did not authorize the search and has therefore sent a delegation of Senior Police Officers, led by DIG HABILA JOSHAK (DIG DOPs) along with some Commissioners of Police who visited the Elder Statesman, Chief Edwin Clark and apologized on behalf of the Nigeria Police Force and the IGP for the misconducts of the said Police Personnel and the attendant embarrassment the search has caused on the Elder Statesman and his family. The delegation was received by Chief Edwin Clark and the apology was accepted by him.

3. Furthermore, the Inspector General of Police has directed that while the Four (4) Police Personnel are in Detention and being investigated and tried within the Force Disciplinary Procedures before appropriate punishments are meted out to them, the IGP has directed the immediate parade of the informant(Suspect) on Wednesday 5th September, 2018 in the presence of the press and the public, before his prompt arraignment and prosecution in Court.